Ratchet has never been very good at saying goodbye, whether to Roller, to Pharma, or even to Hunter O'Nion. Such thoughts are on his mind today, as he enjoys a drink in the deserted Swerve's, while the bartender himself and Ten pass the time arranging a huge pyramid of glasses. The pyramid is lucky to be spared what happens next; Ratchet is not so fortunate, and is knocked head over heels as Tailgate comes careening into the bar on a new hoverboard that he has purchased in Fortuna, capital city of the planet Scarvix, where the Lost Light is currently berthed while its quantum generators recharge. Tailgate apologizes, but notes how empty the bar is, which Swerve whines is the result of Mirage opening a competing establishment, "Visages" (quotation marks included!), after the recent poisoning incident at Swerve's. While Swerve laments, Tailgate tells Ratchet he's going fishing for Legislator body-parts in the oil reservoir with Getaway; this turns the subject of conversation towards the put-upon Ten, who Ultra Magnus has been trying to convince Swerve to treat better. Realising he is running late, Ratchet departs...

...in order to attend the first meeting of the Lost Light Internal Legal Affairs Committee, headed by Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Xaaron, and an absent Megatron, who are holding a hearing to decide what Brainstorm's punishment will be following his recent deceptions. Brainstorm queries why Rewind is not on trial, having been the 'bot who actually fired the fatal shot on their time travel adventure, but Chromedome has already pleaded Rewind's case in private. When confronted with the Decepticon symbol within his faceplate, Brainstorm does not deny the implication; Nautica storms out as Brainstorm details how he chose to become an undercover agent in order to obtain from the Decepticons the resources necessary to build his time machine, but notes that he never provided his handlers with any information that would harm the Autobots. When the subject of the alternate Lost Light and the act of treachery by its Brainstorm that resulted in the death of the entire crew is raised, Brainstorm takes a stand, refusing to be held accountable for actions that were not his own—a stand that earns him a solo round of applause from Perceptor. The Committee begrudgingly admits that this is true, but conclude he must still be punished for his attempts to alter history; his time machine is to be destroyed, and his access to his lab is to be strictly regulated, but much to Brainstorm's surprise—and Ratchet's silent but visible dissatisfaction—he is not going to be kicked off the ship.

Following the hearing, Magnus checks in on the melancholy Megatron, to see if he has taken a missing datapad belonging to Magnus. Megatron denies any involvement, but cryptically claims to be "working". Ratchet, meanwhile, heads to "Visages" to borrow Tailgate's hoverboard; the little 'bot is in the bar with Getaway, and grows confused and upset as the escapologist continues to ply him with drink and 'negative compliments', and claims that Cyclonus has been talking about Tailgate behind his back.

Under the patently phoney ruse that Tailgate's board is infected with teleporting "super-scraplets", Ratchet has First Aid round up a select few of the crew for "examination". He uses the short, one-on-one sessions to talk candidly with each of them: he scolds Rodimus for the inconsistent treatment Brainstorm has received in comparison with exiled Drift; he gives Hoist's number to Rung in order to get him counselling; he asks Skids to be a friend to Rung outside of officer hours; he helps Nautica understand that Brainstorm's actions were truly selfless, as he was an M.T.O. and would have been erased from history had his mission succeeded; he suggests that Swerve try getting Megatron to perform some of his poetry to reinvigorate his bar; and he tries to console Ultra Magnus, who has come to believe that the rest of the crew does not respect him after finding a tiny fig

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